When is the last time you felt God speak to your heart, very specifically about something you ask him about.
Maybe never that maybe often our text is about how God spoke to Moses.
And so he spoke to a burning bush. And so I titled this Message of Burning bushes.
And here’s the reason I think about in my own life, how God has spoken to get my attention oftentimes it has come in times unexpectedly and personally, to me about something in my life challenged me to trust them in an area.
Maybe that was a little difficult. Each has had a powerful and lasting impact on my life.
So I want you to turn to Exodus chapter three and look at the burning bush and how God spoke to Moses in this third chapter of Exodus.
Now Moses was pastoring the flock of Jethro, his father in law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and he came to Horeb, the mountain of God which we call Sinai.
The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush.
And he looked and behold, the bush was burning with fire yet the bush was not consumed.
So Moses said, I must, I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight while the bush is not burned up.
When the Lord saw that, he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, Moses Moses and he said, here I am.
Then he said, do not come near here, remove your sandals from your feet for the place in which you’re standing is holy ground.
He said, also, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.
Then Moses hid his face, but he was afraid to look at God.
Now, I want you to think about something I want you to think about the fact that God still speaks to us today and he speaks primarily through his word, but that’s not the only way.
And so what I wanna do is to give you a few examples of how God has spoken to my own life, which I call burning bushes for me.
Everybody’s is not the same.
He doesn’t have the same message, but these are life changing situations and circumstances and I call them burning bushes for the simple reason.
They came unexpectedly to me. I did not ask for them.
Secondly, they challenge me to fully trust the Lord and obey him in a given situation.
And thirdly each has had a powerful and lasting effect on my life, not only my life, but also people around the world.
So when we think about burning bushes, think about those times when God has specifically said something to you, maybe you ignored it, maybe you said, well, that couldn’t possibly be God or maybe you said, well, yes, that is.
But if you felt God had spoken to you, what did you say to Him? How did you respond?
So remember this, I’m not expecting everybody to have the same kind of experiences I’ve had.
But these are burning bushes in my life because there were moments that made a very distinct difference that has lasted all these years.
And so when I begin, I want to begin with this story.
First of all, I, it was in my second year in seminary and um I was doing pretty good.
And so I was thinking about the future and what God wanted and so forth and I was done praying one night and we had a living room and just a small apartment and I had a place to pray over in the corner.
And I had a, a met that my mother made me out to uh pray on.
And so that’s where I prayed.
And uh one night I was praying and God spoke to my heart very clearly.
And here’s what he said, whatever you accomplish in life you will have to accomplish on your knees, not by your preaching, not by your positions, everything you ever accomplish in the ministry you’ll accomplish on your knees.
That’s my pattern for you. And I can look back over these years and realize time after time after time when I faced very, very difficult situations.
That’s why I went to my prayer mat, asking God to give me direction.
And I can think of a lot of things to tell you about.
There were very difficult situations in my life, very difficult, but I never forgot that whatever you accomplish in life you’ll accomplish on your knees.
That was just as telling to me is what God said to Moses.
God is still speaking today. Sometimes he speaks stricter through his word.
Sometimes he speaks in other ways. I was in uh Bar Florida.
I moved from uh Fruitland to Ohio to uh Miami and then to the little town of Bartos in Florida.
And I was as happy as the Lord there. And uh it was just a fantastic place.
And um so I was happy there.
I was up in Alexandria, Virginia preaching a revival.
And I came home each night from the meeting and we were having a good meeting and people were being saved and lives are being changed.
And I came here every night and I was troubled in my heart.
So I said, what’s this all about Lord?
I mean, you a blessing and you’re doing what I’ve asked you to do and What’s this all about?
Well, three nights, I went to prayer, asking God kneeling down before the word by the bed and saying, Lord, what are you saying to me?
Why am I so troubled? What’s going on that?
I don’t know about the fourth night I came back, knelt down by the bed and began to pray.
And I said, Lord, what, what, what are you saying to me?
It’s like God said to me, I’m gonna move you.
I thought, well, I’ve only been in bar until 11 months that, that you gave him 11 months.
And then I asked the question when I can see this as good as I can see you.
This big screen in front of me, the lower left hand corner to the top right corner in big bold black letters September.
This was April. I thought, well, what’s that all about? I’ve only been here. Yeah.
You know, you don’t even bring me all the way from Miami to bar and tell me to leave in, in September.
So I just tried to pray my way through that.
Next night, I came home, came back to the hotel, got down to pray and it’s like God was 1000 miles away.
I couldn’t pray. I tried to pray and there’s nothing where was God.
So I came home on a Saturday morning and I told my wife about it.
And so we didn’t think much more about it.
Monday morning at nine o’clock, Felix Snipes, who was a member of First Baptist this church.
He passed away a few, two or three years ago. He was on the phone.
He said Charles is Felix. And we talked because I’d been in revivals with him when he led the music and so forth.
He was great at that. And in the course of our conversation, he said, I wanna talk to you about something you never thought about.
I said, what’s that, Felix? He said, we need an associate pastor at first bat.
I said, forget it. I have no interest in going to Atlanta.
And especially do I not have any interest in going to the first Baptist church?
I said, I wouldn’t fit, don’t even talk about it. He said, well, would you pray?
We talked on. He said, well, would you pray about it? And I said, yes, I’ll pray about it.
So finally we hung up the phone. When I hung up the phone, I broke out crying.
I thought God, what in the world is this all about? I’ve only been here 11 months.
How, how would I have explained to this church?
They’ve been so good to me that I’ve, I’ve been here less than a year.
So, um I didn’t think too much about it and um I just began to pray my Lord.
Uh just let me forget all about that. You don’t want me there.
And so six people came to visit me. I kept telling him I’m not interested.
And then the pastor of this church and six deacons came to see me and we had lunch talking and the pressure was getting on.
So I said, well, sir, I’m not going anywhere until God tells me to go.
So we had our conversation, they left and I thought, well, that’s the end of that, but they sent a couple of other people and I was praying all this time.
And God kept saying to me, September, September, September, what did I say the year?
And to make a long story short, September, the 30th, I moved to Atlanta.
Now.
Does, does, does God speak to everybody the same way? No, he doesn’t.
And, and I certainly understand that and no question in my mind about that.
And then, for example, um probably one of the biggest challenges in my life.
I had uh come to Atlanta to be the associate pastor.
And uh I began to preach the, to preach and uh God began to bless and he blessed and he blessed.
My only responsibility was to preach on Sunday night. That was my responsibility.
Well, the pastor was gone most of the time on Sunday morning.
So I ended up preaching Sunday morning and Sunday night.
So these seven men ran everything and they had a meeting and uh I was sitting with them and had no say in one of those meetings, this is what they said.
They were trying to figure out something and couldn’t decide what to do.
Finally, I said, well, why don’t we pray about it? I can still see this man.
He was an attorney. He was sitting to my right. He said this is business.
Leave God out of this. When he said that the hammer came down for me.
I didn’t say a word. I just started praying.
Oh Lord, I know why you sent me for the next year.
Uh People began to join the church and church began to grow.
And then after a little while the war started, they decided they had to get rid of me because I did not adhere to what these seven men who ran everything did, they controlled everything.
Then we were gonna have a business meeting to a vote to fire me.
And that, that Sunday morning was probably one of those bushes that I’m talking about because they were gonna vote on Wednesday.
And um so I had to preach on that Sunday morning, that Sunday morning.
I had no sermon and it’s probably the most trying moment in my life here said a whole bunch of people who were getting ready to vote against me on Wednesday.
And I had to preach on Sunday morning knowing that they probably thinking they probably would win.
But that was ok. But I didn’t have a message and I kept thinking, Lord surely and I would come to the scriptures thinking about maybe uh I I find something and nothing ever happened.
Nothing ever came up. And I’m sitting there thinking the choir is getting ready to sing and I don’t have a sermon and they’re sitting all my enemies and I don’t have a sermon.
So they’re gonna say, see, he can’t preach.
And um, so the choir sang, they sat down, I opened up, walked up and opened up the Bible and it flipped open to this verse.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not to your own understanding in all your ways, acknowledge him and he’ll make your path straight.
And then I just exploded with the word of God. For about 35 minutes.
People start getting up, coming down the aisle, want to join the church people getting up leaving because they didn’t like what I said.
And there was just all of this going on and on and on.
Well, they were very upset and so they had the meeting and so I slipped in the side over under the balcony in the dark where nobody knew I was there.
And so I turned to a passage of scripture and I just sat and I thought Lord, I’m not naturally, I’m not gonna say anything.
I’m just gonna watch how this happens because they said, you know, it, it’s all against you.
There is no way in the world for you to win.
And I sat there and I kept coming to the scripture and then praying. Ok?
Lord, you speak to my heart.
I came to this verse no weapon formed against you will prosper every tongue that accuses you in judgment, you will condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication is for me to hear the Lord Isaiah 54 verse 17, no weapon formed against you shall prosper.
So I sat over there and listen to them over and over and over.
They got up and told they needed to have a new pastor. But here’s the interesting thing.
Now, the one person who stood up said one negative thing about me.
And I’m sitting there thinking, well, Lord, if I was trying to get rid of me, here’s what I’d say, not one of them.
But what did God say? No weapon formed against you or prosper?
So we voted and of course, God gave me the position which I’m grateful for for all these years.
So the question is, does God speak?
He speaks in his own ways and he doesn’t speak to us all the same way.
But listen, he’s willing to speak to you if you’re willing to listen and if you’re willing to be able listen to, he’ll give you a little bit and give you the opportunity to obey him, or he’ll give you the full story if you’re willing to obey him and have always been willing to obey him.
Not at first, then I would mention one other Sunday.
God knows how to get my attention one other. Sunday. No sermon. Monday work. Tuesday, Wednesday.
By Thursday, I sort of know where I’m going and I’m pretty well into it.
And I thought, and I’m, I’m, I’m, I’m the pastor now. And, um, and, and no sermon.
So Saturday morning, no sermon at noon. No sermon, two o’clock, no sermon.
Now, I’m praying and asking, I’m not doing something else.
I’m in the study, praying and asking God to show me what this is all about six o’clock in the evening.
No message. And so I said, God, what in the world are you doing tomorrow?
I don’t have anything. You, you shut my mouth.
I fell on the floor and I stretched out and I thought God, whatever it is, please tell me, here’s what he said to me.
And we were just the beginning at that time.
You must never ask for one penny on television or radio.
You must trust me to decide how far and wide this ministry goes. You’re never to ask for money.
And I said, ok, God, you have my commitment. I never will. I never have.
We’re all over the world. God kept his promise.
Then I’ll give you one other illustration.
Um I was, um, the Southern Baptist convention was in great turmoil and so they wanted to put me up for president.
I said, no, absolutely not, had no interest in it to begin with.
Don’t know how don’t even know how to be the president of convention.
So a group of us met and we prayed and prayed and prayed.
And there was a little lady there who was a missionary. She was 83 years of age.
So we met together and she had the rest of us were pastors.
There were about 78 of us and she was sitting right beside me.
And so we were gonna pray and she said, she said, Charles Stanley, get on your knees and repent of your sins.
I can still remember that.
It wasn’t funny then because we all got down to pray and, um, we prayed and she prayed for me.
I still remember her calling me Charles Stanley.
And, um, so we all left and went back to our hotel room and I was, uh, just think of it all and said, thank you Lord.
That’s over a praise God. I don’t have to do this no matter what they think.
The next morning, I got up, I can still see this in my mind.
I got dressed, walked toward the door, reach for the doorknob.
It’s like God said, do not touch that door knob until you’re willing to obey me.
And they turn into the bed and began to weep.
I a while because number one, I was afraid I didn’t know how to be the president of the convention.
I didn’t wanna be. And I had many, many, many, many people who are absolutely against me.
And so I, I had legitimate reasons for saying no, but in God’s eyes, he didn’t accept that.
I went back to that same group and I said, I was, we were talking about who should do the job.
And finally, they said, Stanley, are you gonna be obedient or not? I said, yes, I am.
And I told them why I won the election.
And so I was simply being obedient to God. Was I still afraid?
Yes, I was, I’m simply saying this.
If you listen to God, he will do things that you don’t expect and he’ll do things you don’t want him to do.
But you have to decide whether you’re going to be obedient or not.
So I could give you illustration after illustration of, of things.
But what I wanted you to see is each time I got direction, I’m listening to God and here’s what I want you to understand.
I want you to understand this.
God is just as willing to speak to you as He is me.
You listen, you, God has a plan for you just He does me.
And sometimes we think, well, Lord God wouldn’t speak to me. Yes, he will. He will.
If you listen to Him and probably most of the people in here have something they’re talking to God about some decision, you’re willing to talk to God about watch this carefully.
You have the Holy Spirit living inside of you who is just as willing to speak and make clear to you his voice as he is to anybody else.
A burning bush does not have to be something with literal fire.
The burning bush is a crucial, critical decision you’re trying to make in your life, you wanna make the right one.
And so you ask God until He gives you clear direction. You said, well, watch this.
Now you say, well, I’ve prayed and prayed and prayed. Here’s what I’ve discovered.
If I pray and pray and pray about something either, I’m not listening.
Secondly, either, I’m hearing something I do not want to hear.
And so I don’t want to hear what he says to you when I think about the fact that the God who created this universe is willing to make Himself known to you and to me as individuals, no matter where we come from, he’s willing to make clear to us the next decision we need to make.
So the reason I called it a burning bush is because it was a life changer for Moses.
And most of these were life changers for me.
And there may be life changes for you if you will ask him, watch this care if you ask him and don’t just back off and let him do the speaking.
You may not hear anything for a few days or a few weeks.
But as long as you’re praying, you’re linked up with, listen, you’re linked up with omniscience, the God who knows everything and who knows the best.
And every single one of us would have to admit if we were honest, God always chooses the best. Amen.
That’s pretty weak. God always chooses the best. Amen.
Then why don’t you do what he says? I know why you don’t.
Here’s the reason because what God says, we, we can’t listen, we can’t see the way clear.
Now, remember this when he’s talking, he sees the beginning to the end.
When we are praying, we just see right here.
But remember this, the reason we can trust them is because we know that who’s doing the talking sees the end result already.
He would never tell you to do something that is not best for you. That’s the way God operates.
And when I think about how blessed we are now, we have Jesus, now we have the Holy Spirit.
I don’t know what you’re facing in life.
But this, I know you have a God who loves you, has a plan for your life.
You’re not, listen, you’re not one of a bunch, you’re not one of a group.
You’re not a nobody, you’re somebody, you’re somebody for whom God has a plan.
A God who is willing to show you the plan, willing to guide you step by step.
He’s not going to give you the full story.
He’s gonna lead you step by step because watch this, that’s the way He operates.
We obey him today, we obey him today and today and today and today and today and you know what, little by little he’ll get us the exact way he wants us sometimes quickly, sometimes, not so quickly.
What is there in your life that you’re troubled about?
What is there in your life that you feel a need for that you don’t have?
What is there in your life that keeps waking you up at night?
What is there in your life that, you know, you need some sense of joy and peace and what is it that troubles you?
What, what is that big question mark? He?
So how am I going to find out the answer?
I can guarantee you on the basis of the word of God and the experience has nothing to be to do with being a past that has to do with the nature of God.
He loves you enough to show you exactly what to do next.
If you’re willing to ask him, trust him and wait for his timing.
That’s how good God is.
Listen, one of the, if you, if you will do what you’ve heard this morning, maybe in a few weeks, a few months, it may be a year or so, whatever it might be.
You’ve got some question. You’re gonna, you’re gonna see how God’s gonna work in your life.
He doesn’t work in everybody’s life the same that He’ll work in your life.
You don’t have to say well, but I’m not this and I’m not that, that is nothing to do with it.
What has to do with it is this. He’s God, you one of his Children. He created you.
He has a plan for your life. He wants to direct your life.
Because when He directs your life and you obey Him, you bring him glory and honor, you become a testimony to people who need to know that God is a personal God and willing to answer the petition of their heart.
Why is it? Why is it so exciting to be a Christian?
I’ll tell you why you’re walking with omnipotence. You’re walking with omniscience. That’s who He is.
And he’s willing to speak to your heart. You say, well, I’m not even a Christian.
I can tell you the next thing He wants you to do.
He wants you to confess your sins to him.
Ask Him to forgive you of your sin, surrender your life to Him and watch him work.
Wait for Him to speak to your heart, which He will certainly do.
Because the moment you receive Christ as your savior, the Holy Spirit comes into your life, to dwell and to live and to give guidance and direction for your life.
You’ll never be the same again. He’s willing, you ought to do it. I challenge you.
Surrender your life to him and watch him work, amen. Father.
We love you and praise you and thank you.
That you are so ready to be a blessing to your Children.
Willing to give us instruction and divine guidance, willing to meet our need.
I pray that any person who hears this message and every person who hears it who is not a follower of Jesus will immediately right now, confess their sinfulness, surrender their life to you and watch you work.
Thank you for loving us with the love.
We will never fully understand that we get to heaven and we pray this in Jesus name.
Amen.